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The season’s 10 best accessible technology gifts and more
The holiday season is here–and Perkins has the perfect gift list for the whole family!
Gearing up for the holiday season and want to buy the perfect gift for your loved one? We’ve got you covered. From apparel to assistive technology, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite gift recommendations for everyone on your list, whether they’re sighted, blind, or visually impaired.
1. Eone – The Bradley Watch
A modern-meets-classic timepiece with tactile hour markers that let all users, sighted or blind, discreetly tell the time in any setting. The Bradley Watch comes in an elegant silver or black finish with a variety of bands to choose from.
2. Nintendo Switch
One of the hottest gaming systems, the Nintendo Switch features games that respond to movement and vibration, allowing blind and visually impaired players to join in on the fun. The Nintendo Switch is a great gift for gamers–and the multi-player features make it perfect for the whole family.
3. Reminder Rosie
Know someone who has trouble keeping track of appointments? The easy-to-use Reminder Rosie is a hands-free, voice-activated digital clock that can be pre-programmed with recorded reminders about events, medications, meetings, tasks, and more.
4. Drawing With Your Perkins Brailler
Teach your child to create beautiful tactile drawings using a Perkins Brailler. This activity guide offers step-by-step instructions for 36 different drawings, including shapes, animals, vehicles, and holiday-themed objects. It’s available in both print and braille.
5. Braille Uno and Accessible Braille Monopoly
When it’s cold outside, and you want something fun to do indoors, classic card games are always a hit. Braille Uno is sure to bring everyone together—even if no one in the group reads braille, using these cards can help young players understand how people who use braille play the game. If you’re more into board games, check out Monopoly, featuring braille and large print cards, money, and dice, anyone can pass Go!
6. Amazon Echo Dot
The Echo Dot (2nd Generation) transforms your home and makes everyday tasks easier with Alexa, your digital assistant. Alexa can play music, answer questions, read the news, and give traffic and weather reports. It can even order you a pizza—all with just the sound of your voice.
From a member of the Perkins staff: “My daughter LOVES these, and they truly give her access to do all sorts of things via Voice that is beneficial to her along with other blind/verbal kids. “Alexa, add bananas to my grocery list,” is a popular one in our house. The Echo Show is also worth a mention. Even though we have every device made, this one is now on her list for a particular reason. If you haven’t heard about its “Show and Tell” feature, check out this video.”
7. Aira
Aira is an amazing technology that enables people who are blind or visually impaired to connect with highly trained professional agents who provide visual information and support. Paired through a smartphone or a pair of smart glasses, Aira agents can take photos, help with navigation, provide detailed descriptions of a person’s surroundings or events, and so much more. This holiday season, you can give the gift of Aira by purchasing either $30, $50, or $100 credit that can be used for monthly Aira plans, Add-on minutes, or any Aira purchase.
8. Victor Reader Stream
Perfect for the book-lover in your life, the wireless Victor Reader Stream lets you download the latest books, magazines, and music for listening on the go. The new generation model also plays content from Audible.com, which means instant access to thousands of titles.
9. Dragon Profesional Individual
Speech recognition software like Dragon Pro lets you control your computer using only voice commands. With 99% accuracy, Dragon software makes writing emails or composing term papers a breeze for people who have trouble using a regular keyboard.
10. Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
For the book lover on your list, purchase this moving memoir by Haben Girma, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School. From the book’s blurb: “Haben takes readers through a thrilling game of blind hide-and-seek in Louisiana, a treacherous climb up an iceberg in Alaska, and a magical moment with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating memoir is a testament to one woman’s determination to find the keys to connection.” Sounds like a must-read book to us!
11. Nest Thermostat
Nest Thermostat is an electronic thermostat that can be installed in your home and controlled from your computer, iPad, iPhone and/or Android devices. Nest Thermostat learns its user’s preferences and automatically adapts as the seasons change, keeping you cozy in the freezing cold winters and cool in the scorching hot summers.
12. 3Doodler
3Doodler is the perfect gift for the crafty kid, gadget nerd or artist in your life. The 3Doodler is a 3D pen that allows users to “draw” in mid-air, creating awesome 3D designs, structures, even jewelry with recyclable and safe-to-use plastic. There’s a 3Doodler Start for ages 6-13 and a 3Doodler Create+ for ages 14 and up.
13. Children’s Braille Book Club
Give the year-long gift of reading to a child who is blind or visually impaired when you sign them up for National Braille Press’ Children’s Braille Book Club. The lucky recipient will receive twelve monthly print/braille books in the mail. It’s a gift that keeps on giving all year-round.
14. 6dot Braille Label Maker
This thoughtfully designed label-maker allows braille readers to make adhesive braille labels for food items, controls, medicines and much more. It has a built-in braille keyboard and also connects to a standard QWERTY keyboard so sighted friends and family can also create labels.
15. Liftware
Liftware technology helps people with hand tremors or limited hand and arm mobility to “eat with confidence.” Liftware products resemble traditional silverware but with a twist. The oversized stabilizing handles have electronic sensors that help reduce shaking, making it easier to eat without spilling food. This is a life-changing technology for people with hand tremors.
16. Two Blind Brothers Gift Box
Brothers Bryan and Bradford Manning, both blind, often have to trust sighted salespeople when they shop. Now they’re asking, will you shop blind? Buy a mystery gift through their ‘Shop Blind’ initiative and 100% of your purchase will go toward researching cures for the 11 million Americans with retinal eye disease.
